Contact plug



May 13 1924., ,493,571

. A. G. SMITH ET AL C ONTAC T PLUG Filed May 5, 1922 Patented May 13, 1924.

reo STATES PATENT OFFICE.y

ANDREW G. SMITH, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND WILLIAM V. WEI-IRLE, OVE INDIANA HARBOR,

INDIANA.

Application led May To all whom t may concer/n.'

Be it known that we, ANDREW G. SMITH and WILLIAM V. WEHRLE, citizens of the United States, andresidents of the city of 5 Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, and of the city of Indiana Harbor, county of Lake, and State of Indiana, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Contact Plugs, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to contact plugs for electric light sockets or the like, and more particularly to contact plugs attached to vacuum cleaners or similar apparatus, adapted for insertion into such sockets for making electrical connection therewith, and has for its object the provision of a plug normally having its periphery of such size as to fit securely within a socket, at the same time being yieldable so that it may be easily withdrawn from, or reinserted into said socket.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which, i'

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the invention showingfoperative parts thereof in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view yof the invention showing a part of the casing thereof broken away to expose the operative parts of the device;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the invention showing the operative movement of same in dotted lines; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the invention on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

It is the custom to provide vacuum cleaners or similar apparatus using electricity for motive power with conductors having a contact plug secured thereto adapted to be threaded into a suitable electrical. socket to make electrical connection therewith. When using such apparatus it is ordinarily fre- 1922. Serial No. 558,727.

and consequently the contact plugs are connected, and disconnected a great many times during operation of the machine, and this of course, necessitates threading such plug into. and out of position each time the connection is changed, which is inconvenient and laborious.k

Our invention provides a plug having a yieldable periphery, which in operative po* sition snugly engages the socket and is thus held therein, but which is easily removable from, or reinserted into said socket without threading same thereinto.

As illustratedin the drawings, 10 represents a casing of any suitable material, hard rubber being preferred. Such casing is provided with a central bore 11 as shown and the neck thereof preferably tapers in wardly as shown at 12, there being an arcu ate extension 13 on the vcasing as shown in Fig. 1, and such extension preferably has portions of threads 14 thereon.

Disposed within the bore 11 is a post 15 having one side flattened as shown at 16, such flattened portion having a groove ad jacent the lower end thereof, in which is seated one end of a leaf spring 17,` the curved portion of said spring engaging the inner surface of said bore, and the opposite end of said spring being adapted for sliding movement upon the flattened portion of said post. A push-button 18 extends through the casing 10 and is preferably threaded into the post 15-as shown.

Formed on the outer-end of the post 15 isl an enlarged portion or head 19, which, together with the curved extension 13, forms the Contact plug. The head 19 preferably is threaded as shown at 20 and such threads preferably coincide with the threads 14 on the extension 13. The head 19 is preferably provided with a bulged portion 2l as shown, such bulged portion preferably being of a size to fit within the arcuate extension 13.

Preferably formed in the head 19 at the center thereof is a bore 22 in which is preferably mounted a sleeve 23. Such sleeve preferably carries therein a spring 24, which abuts against a pin 25 to normally hold same in projected position, the pin 25 being provided with a contact button 26 as shown. The sleeve 23 is preferably of conductive material, and connected thereto is a conductor 27 which extends through a passage 28 formed in the post 15, such conductor being held in engagement with said sleeve by means of a screw 29, threaded thereinto and counter-sunk in the bulged portion 21, Preferably secured about the head 19 by any suitable means is a sheet 30 of conductive material, such sheet conforming to the threads 2O in the head 19. A tongue 31 is formed on the sheet 30 and such tongue is inwardly turned as shown in Fig. 2. A conductor 32 extends through a passage 33 in the post 15, and has its end connected to a screw 34; which holds such end against the tongue 31.

By this arrangement, when it is desired to insert the plug into a socket, the head 19 is pressed inwardly by means of the push-button 18, the plugin such case being reduced in size and capable of insertion into a socket, the contact 26 being adapted to engage the central contact usually provided in the socket, and the contact 30 engaging the inner side of the socket, thereby establishing electrical contact, the spring 17 of course holding the plug in expanded position, and the threads on such members aiding in retaining the'plug in the socket. Especial attention is called to the fact that there is no danger of yexposed connections being brought into contact with the hands of the user. i

lVhile we have illustrated and described the preferred form of Vconstruction for carrying our invention into eiect, this is capable of variation and modiiication without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire tor avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A contact device comprising a casing having "an extension thereon, and a bore therethrough; a post extending through said bore and having a head, with said extension forming a` plug, said post within said casing being reduced, yieldable means disposed between the reduced portion of said post and the wall of said bore, and a push' button slidably extending through said casing at a distance from said head and being connected to said post.

2. A contact device comprising a casing having an extension thereon, and a bore therethrough; a post extending through said bore and having a head, with said extension forming a plug, said post within said casing being reduced: yieldable means disposed between the reduced portion of said post and the wall ot said bore; a push button slidably extending through said casing at a distance from said head and being connected to said post; spaced contact members on said head; and conductors extending through passages in said post and connected with said contacts.

3. A contact device comprising a casing having an extension thereon and a bore therethrough; a postl extending through said bore and having a head thereon, with said extension forming a plug, said post having one side flattened; and a spring disposed between said post and the wall of said bore.

4. A contact device comprising a casing having an extension thereon; a post extending through said casing and having a head thereon cooperating with said extension to form a plug; means for normally holding said head away from said extension; a contact mounted centrally in said head; and another contact mounted on the periphery of said head.

5. A contact device comprising a casing having an extension thereon; a post extending through said casing and having a head thereon cooperating with said extension to form a plug, there being a socket in said head; means for normally holding said head away from said extension; a sleeve mounted in said socket having a spring pressed contact pin therein;a sheet of conductive material secured to the periphery of said head; and conductors connected with said sleeve and said sheet oi conductive material.

6. A contact device comprising a casing having an extension thereon; a post extending through said casing and having a head thereon cooperating with said extension to form a plug, there being a socket in said head; means for normally holding said head away from said extension; a sleeve of conductive material mounted in said socket and having a s rino' ressed contact in theren t c n 1n; a conductor extending through said post and secured to said sleeve; and another contact member consisting ot a sheet ot conductive material secured to the periphery'ot said head, and having an inwardly turned tongue thereon; and a conductor extending through said post and held in contact with said tongue.

7. A contact device comprising a casing having a threaded extension thereon; a post extending through said casing and having a head thereon cooperating with said extension to form a plug, there being a socket in said head; means for normally holding said head away from said extension; a sleeve of conductive material mounted in said socket and having a spring pressed contact pin therein; a conductor extending through said post and secured to said sleeve, and another contact member consisting ot a sheet or conductive material secured to the periphery of said head, and names to this specification in the presence of having an inwardly turned tongue thereon; two subscribing Witnesses. and a conductor extending through said post and held in Contact with said tongue ANDREW G. SMITH.

5 by a counter-sunk screw, said Contact hav- WILLIAM V. WEI-IRLE.

ing threads thereon corresponding to threads Witnesses: on said extension. FREDA C. AIPLETON,

In testimony WhereoE We have signed our JOSHUA R. I-I. Po'r'rs. 

